The Category 4 storm lashed the Florida coast with winds of 150 miles per hour (km/h) on Wednesday. Named Ian, the hurricane hit the city, damaging many properties. It is one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the United States. Several videos of the destruction have surfaced online. Against this backdrop, two such videos in particular caught everyone’s attention. Where one of the clips shows a reporter nearly being blown away by gusty winds, another video shows sharks swimming freely through city streets after being washed ashore.
Look:
WATCH: Forecaster Jim Cantore is nearly blown away while reporting on Hurricane Ian pic.twitter.com/BKV90AFhxG
— BNO News (@BNONews) September 28, 2022
@Gutfeldfox somehow a shark ended up in the fort myers neighborhood during hurricane ian.. ? pic.twitter.com/l3WbzgNQHj
— Brad Habuda (@BradHabuda) September 28, 2022
More than 1.8 million people in Florida were reported to be without power. Electrical transformers were blown over by the storm and sparks lit up the city’s sky, as seen in a video.
Transformers blow all around us, lighting up the sky, knocking out communications and electricity. I just shot this video seconds ago #bradentonfl #hurricane @CNNweather @CNNweather @cnnbrk pic.twitter.com/0cDfseLolx
— Derek Van Dam (@VanDamCNN) September 28, 2022
Before making landfall in Florida, the storm previously struck Cuba, killing two people, as reported. It also knocked out the country’s power grid, leaving 11 million people without electricity.
According to US border officials reports, 20 Cuban migrants are missing after their boat capsized off the coast of Florida as the hurricane approached the coast.
Meanwhile in Florida, as the storm caused massive flooding everywhere, the federal government has prepared about 300 ambulances with medical teams ready to provide 3.7 million meals and 3.5 million liters of water after the storm passes.
US President Joe Biden also assured people of their safety. He said, “Be there to help you clean up and rebuild to help get Florida moving again.” He added, “We’re going to be there every step of the way. This is my absolute commitment to the people of the state of Florida.